The present invention relates to computer peripheral devices and, more particularly, to controllers for computers, games and computer game devices.
Typical computer games and video games generally include an audio-visual display device (e.g., a television monitor), a computer host or video game unit which transmits the simulation video and audio signals to the display device, a port for receiving a video game software or data, and at least one hand manipulated control device with which the game operator interacts with the video game. Such hand manipulated control devices exist in many forms such as a hand-held control pad, a keyboard, a joystick, a mouse, a trackball, and the like. Typically, hand manipulated control devices have directional controls for moving a character in the game and auxiliary controls for other activities such as causing the character to perform a certain act, such as jumping.
One type of hand-held control pad, for example, has four directional control push-buttons and a number of non-directional push-buttons. The push-buttons are dual state (on/off) buttons. Each directional button, when pressed by the operator, causes a corresponding directional action of the character in the video game such as turning the character to the right or left. Auxiliary push buttons, when pressed, cause non-directional actions such as jumping, punching, ducking, shooting, etc. oftentimes, a directional, and an auxiliary push-button can be used in combination to effect a certain action in a certain direction, such as causing the image to punch right or left, or moving the image to the right or left with greater speed.
Many computer games and video games are based on the theme of skate boarding, snow boarding, or surfing. Generally, these games require the player to control the riding board action through such hand-manipulated controls. The game would be more enjoyable and the simulation more realistic if the hand-manipulated control device could be replaced by a control device that requires the actual body movement and coordination of an operator riding a skate board, a snow board, or a surf board.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,950 to Goo discloses a video game having a control unit in which the operator simulates riding a surf board. The game control unit of Goo is a surf board which is supported by a hemispherical fulcrum member and an inflatable annular tube which encircles the fulcrum for biasing the surf board to a substantially horizontal position over the fulcrum. The fulcrum encloses a gravity switch which makes electrical contact when the player pivots the surf board, and fulcrum, in certain directions. Consequently, while Goo discloses a video game control unit for simulating a surf board, the control unit has several disadvantages. The control unit is bulky and cannot be configured to substitute as a conventional hand-held control pad or keyboard. Further, the device provides directional signals only and thus is unable to send non-directional signals to the video game computer; and is unable to detect the magnitude of a directional pivot of the surf board, which would signal the image to execute a regular turn versus a sharp turn.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,192 to Smithard et al. discloses a skiing or snow-surfing simulator device. The device includes a control unit, which the player stands upon, a data processing means, and a visual display unit. In one embodiment of the control unit for the device (see FIG. 10), a pair of skis are coupled above a base unit with springs or compliant pads such that they pivot or move thereover. Analog linear movement sensors are mounted to the base, between the skis and the base, to detect movement by the skis and to produce signals indicative thereof. The signals are processed by the data processing means and transmitted to the visual display unit to display a simulated trajectory or track that is visible to the person standing on (playing) the control unit. A disadvantage of the Smithard et al. controller is that it requires complicated analog sensors and data processing means to process the analog signals generated by the sensors. Furthermore, the Smithard et al. controller is not adapted to replace a hand-manipulated controller required by conventional video-game devices; and thus, does not disclose any solution for inexpensively and easily converting movement of the player into directional and non-directional signals required by such video-game devices.
Finally, neither Goo nor Smithard et al. provide for connection of one of the hand-manipulated controllers thereto; and therefore, are not equipped to allow for additional features of play provided by an additional hand-manipulated controller.